My oldest is turning 8th today! 8 marvelous years with a son who loves to help and have fun. He likes to climb on the walls, help his younger siblings and loves to learn too! He enjoys the Ga'Hoole series these days as well as the Geronimo Stilton's.
8 years ago we became parents. And we are blessed to have Alexandre in our life. Bonne Fête mon grand. Je t'aime!
I go out to run some errands. By myself - no kids as hubby is at home.
I come back and I have my oldest sort of excited. He says daddy wants to talk to me downstairs (where the office is).
So I go. And Alexandre is jumping up and down. And ask me a joke question. I answer not really thinking when he just asked me... and I was wrong in the answer because he tells me no and then tell me the answer. He is still jumping up and down - grinning his biggest smile I ever seen.
Then he tells me that FOTF called to tell him that they loved the joke he had submitted a while back and that it will be published in the October 2009 issue of Clubhouse Jr. . And yes, you guessed it, the joke question he asked me was the one he had sent. Geez What kind of mom am I? I forgot about it. *sigh*
Anyhow, he is so happy about it. We had sent it to the office in BC which in turned send it to the office in Colorado Springs, US. We had received a letter about it and it was also saying that they do receive lots of jokes and it might not be selected.
So they called. It will be published. My son is happy and excited about it. And they will send multiple copies of the magazine.
My son will have his joke published. Can you imagine?
Apologia is now producing notebooking journals that accompany each of the elementary science books. Both Botany and Astronomy are now available. You can see samples on the Apologia website here:
These journals are beautiful spiral bound notebooks that will save you time and money. You won't have to print and keep up with your child's notebook pages, buy and maintain page protectors, or purchase and compile binders...everything that makes notebooking time-consuming and labor intensive for mom. Also, your child will adore having their own notebooking journal.
Each of the notebooking journals include:
A daily schedule for those who like to have a plan or would like their children to complete the book on their own
Templates for written narrations, the notebooking activities and experiments
Review Questions
Scripture Copywork, with both print and cursive practice
Reading lists and additional activities, projects, experiments for each lesson
An appendix with beautiful, full-color, lapbook-style Miniature Books
Field Trip Sheets to keep a record field trips
A Final Review with fifty questions the students can answer either orally or in writing to show off all they remember and know at the end of the course.
Jeannie is giving away four Astronomy Notebooking Journals and four Botany Notebooking Journals to bloggers who post about this on their site. Visit her blog to learn more about this contest: www.jeanniesjournal.com .
As for me, I have discovered the wonderful products of Apologia a couple of years ago via a friend but never owned one. Now we have just started the Flying Creatures and we love it... I am planning to get the other ones one at a time.
Rosetta Stone is the fastest way to learn a language and has been the #1 foreign language curriculum among homeschoolers for a while — and you can WIN the *all new* version 3 Rosetta Stone Homeschool LATIN program… FOR FREE! This is the first year you can get Latin in the brand new Version III update.
This is a $259 program (and believe me it’s worth every penny!)
This is a computer based curriculum and Rosetta Stone will also include a headset with microphone, and a supplementary “Audio Companion” CD so you can practice lessons in the car, on the go, or where-ever! Students participate in life-like conversations and actually produce language to advance through the program. Rosetta Stone incorporates listening, reading, grammar, vocabulary and writing along with speaking and pronunciation lessons. For parents, the new Parent Administrative Tools are integrated into the program to allow parents to easily enroll up to ten students in any of 12 predetermined lesson plans, monitor student progress, grade completed work (the program grades the work automatically as the students progress- I love that!), and you can view and print reports for transcripts. Homeschooling a lot of kids at your house? This program is designed to enroll and track up to ten students (five users on two computers) and will work for nearly all ages — from beginning readers up to college students.
To win this most excellent Latin program copy these paragraphs and post them in (or as) your next blog post, and/OR link to the contest from your facebook page and/OR email the information to your homeschool support group – Then go to the original page http://Jeneralities.com and leave a comment saying that you’ve posted about, or have linked to, the contest. Please make sure the link works to get back to the original contest page when you post. And good luck!
My thoughts on it!
We love this company. We already purchased French and Spanish for our own kids. Right now, only my oldest one is using it but I am planning to use it with all of them eventually. My only negative point for it would be for the French product. They based it on French from France and consequently the keyboard is AZERTY and not QWERTY. We are French Canadians and it would have been nice to be able to select the keyboard according to the area you live. But on the other side, my son can use the mouse to select and type the words. It just takes a little bit longer that all. The software is very well made and uses all areas of learning - listening, speaking, writing, and seeing. I gave my two thumbs up for this company. You won't be disappointed if you decide to buy some language training from them. After all it is used by many companies around the world...
Last night, I attended the representation of The Hiding Place given by the dancers of Ballet Magnificat! Omega. I went with my mother-in-law and we had fun. I was very moving.
The Hiding Place is the story of Cory ten Boom and her sister, Betsie. Honestly, I am lost at words on how to express my feelings about it. I recommend everyone to take the time to go see this if it comes to a place near you. The dancers were very good and you can sense that they are dancing for the Lord.
Yesterday I read Judges 3:12-30 and came upon something interesting. You know that you're into something when you never realized this was written in the Bible. You probably know the story on how Ehud killed King Eglon of Moab. What I never realized was that in verse 15 it says:
" His name was Ehud son of Gera, of the tribe of Benjamin, who was left-handed."
Uh? What is the big deal of specifying that Ehud was left-handed? So I pondered on this... since yesterday. This morning, I came to the conclusion that more than likely being left-handed didn't help Ehud to carry a sword. Maybe he wasn't as quick as his friends to fight...
So I took my NLT Bible this morning and wanted to see if there was comments about this mention. There was. So here it goes...
"God can uses us just the way he made us. Being left-handed in Ehud's day was considered a handicap. Many Benjaminites were left-handed (see 20:16). But God used Ehud's perceived weakness to give Israel victory. Let God use you the way you are to accomplish his work."
In my NIV notes I can read that being left-handed Ehud could conceal his dagger on the side where it was not expected (v 21) which was his right thigh. In my NIV Archeological Bible, it is mentioned that Left-handedness was common in the tribe of Benjamin (1 Ch 12:2) as I mentioned before. However, it also indicates that it may have been artificially induced by binding the right arms of young boys to produce superior warriors.
I can see conflicting information here. One says it produced superior warrior while another says it was considered an handicap. Maybe it was considered an handicap by outsiders from the Israelites...
I recently got prophesied on. First time for anything right? The person told me that God made me the way I was for a reason and that right now I might not see it but in the future I will. There is also some specific things in me that I don't even know that are there and that I will realize that God had a purpose in putting them there in time.
Where am I going? When you think that God is not using you - don't believe it... That's a lie. God is always using us even if we don't realize it. People see how we are and how we react to events in our life. Our own kids observe us and they are like a sponge. Be like a beacon of light for the LORD for anyone you cross in your days. A few years ago, I went to the park with the kids. Back then I had Alexandre and maybe Dominic as a baby. Anyhow, I start talking to a lady at the park and out of the blue, she tells me that her husband is cheating on her and so on. I was taken by surprised. Why me? But then I realize that as a child (well make it more like a young adult) I went through my parent's divorce. Funny enough, hubby had bought me a book from Dr. Dobson Love Must Be Tough just to understand my parents. And I had taken TONS of notes in the book about my parents and me and so on... So I told her about the book and offered it to her. I also prayed outloud for her in the park. The next day I brought the book for her... Weird. I never saw her again. I heard from her once - she told me she was enjoying the book. Her situation was not easy as that other woman was also going to her church and was also married. I pray and hope that God healed her marriage but I don't know.
Another time, He used me on a grand-mother walking with her grand-baby. Her daughter-in-law had a big case of post-partum. I had experience it a little bit... but not to the point to be hospitalized (which was the case here). So I prayed for her and told her about our church back then... She seemed interested in telling the information to her son and daughter-in-law.
My point is that you never know when God will use you. Be prepare even if you are left-handed.
And by the way - I am left-handed.
One of my favorite verses is Philippians 4:13. Check it out what it says!
... well usually it's not that busy but this past week-end we had something on Saturday and on Sunday.
SATURDAY
Homeschool conference in my area. My in-laws looked after the kids while hubby and I went to the conference. It was a one-day thing this year and I was a bit disappointed with the reduced numbers of vendors this year. Sad. On the other hand I went to great sessions and we got all the curriculum I had on my list. We are officially ready for grade 3 and Senior Kindergarten with a bit of Junior Kindergarten. I was surprised to see some products from Memoria Press there as well as Artistic Pursuits. Interesting. I had comments from people telling me they look forward to my reviews in the Newsletters and one lady said she is seriously thinking to ge tthe Spears Art Studio for her daughter who loves to draw. Super! I told her again that it was totally worth it. I also won a price foro being there but by the time my name got out - there wasn't much left so I got 2 subs from Subway for free and we had free supper... *grin* I also made contact with NECTAR Foundation and got some free software to reviews from them. And the guy also gave me a little bag with pink lemonade as a thanks for reviewing the products. I got 4 CDs in French from him and I also have a bunch in English to look into as well. So it was productive. Hubby also made contact with the rep from HSLDA - they talked a lot and connected well I think. Interesting.
Sunday - We packed the kids and drove to Montreal to visit my mom. It went well I think. I shall see how it goes in the weeks to come. My poor Alexandre asked us when we will see her again and if it will take 1 year. He is at the age of understanding more. I told him it wasn't my decision and we will go with what happens. He was crying. He is my big softy child - very attached to people. Dominic though asked my mom when she will die, hubby told him we don't know when we die and asked him who decides this. He said Jesus. Sweet. At 5 he already have a great thinking. We went to the Biodome during the afternoon. Being a while since we went. We got a family membership and can go as often as we want during the year with free entrance to the Botanical Gardens in June and free entrance to the Planetarium in November. We came back at 9pm. Tired. Hopefully it doesn't take too long to get back in our routine.
Today - we have a visit to the dentist. Five of us... Only Jasmine is spared from it...
Married to a wonderful man, mom of four adorable children, teacher, nurse, cleaning lady, driver, manager, accountant, pastor's wife, scrapbooker, card maker and artist at moments,... these are only a few of my hats. I love to read and watch movies as well as being creative. I dream of a house on many acres of land in the countryside...
